“Sure I was going to die" Surfer targeted by shark
TIM CONNELL
11/02/2009 10:13:00 AM
A SURFER who survived a suspected great white shark attack at Cellito Beach on Saturday says he was so sure he was going to die that he lost all fear.

Durwin Keg, 41, was visiting from Maroubra with five long-term friends who regularly surf the Cellito break.

“We got about 150m out. I was the furthest out with two mates,” he said.

“A pod of dolphins went past quickly and my mate Michael said “I bet they’ve seen a shark”.”

Then Mr Keg noticed a shadow gathering beneath him.

“About four feet back there was a massive dark shadow under me. I knew straight away what it was, and I knew it was after me,” he said.

“I thought I’d better move before it was too late. I was about to say “Mick, shark” but I only got out “Mick” as the shark did a big arc and speared me from underneath.”

The ram launched Mr Keg and his board skyward.

“I was in the water splashing around, and I got back on and yelled at the others to paddle.”

The shark, which Mr Keg’s friends later said was three times the breadth of his shoulders and twice the length of his board, made another pass.

“It did another arc, and this time came right on top of the water,” Mr Keg said.

“I used my board as a shield, and [the shark] dragged me along for a bit. The guys tell me I was actually on top of the shark.”

Frantically paddling for shore, the group feared the shark’s third swoop would cost them their friend.

“I was paddling as hard as I could, and this time it came at me sideways. It was looking at me with its eye, and I was exhausted by this time,” Mr Keg said.

“I just thought I was dead, and all the panic left me. I was looking round at it just waiting for it to bite me in half. Then it veered off, and I caught a small wave.”

Mr Keg said he and his friends were sure his attacker was a great white. A surfer of 30 years, he was badly shaken.

“I’m a changed person from it. I still see those jaws, and keep thinking it was just tiny things I did that made all the difference,” he said.

The moment I died on my surfboard, it helped me survive the Great White.
For two weeks I had been dreaming of being attacked, we had surfed here 6 times during the previous 2 days, but this morning I was looking around for a knife to strap to my leg, in 30 years of surfing and around the world I have never thought in this way.

It was a beautiful sunny day, waves about 4 feet, I was 200m off shore with 2 mates and 3 more were 20 feet closer in, a pack of dolphins bolted past us, Tim said I wonder if a shark is chasing them, Tim and Ferdy then got a wave in straight away.

I paddled out a little further and sat up, turned my head to the right, noticed a huge dark shape deep in the water, perfectly still, for a split second I thought it was a huge clump of seaweed, then I noticed it moving stealthily slowly sideways to get behind me.

I immediately knew what it was and that it was menacingly after me.

My stomach sank as I knew I was to far out and had absolutely no chance of surviving, I felt so helpless alone and a long long way from land.

I knew I only had seconds before it was going spring up and ambush me from behind and eat me in half.

He knew I had spotted him as I slowly turned around and began paddling, all I wanted was to get to land, and I was already exhausted from surfing for an hour and a half.

I thought if I don’t make a move now I’m gone and there’s no way I’m getting out of this.

I was to far out and the waves had stopped it was flat, I turned slowly to face the shore, Mick who was 20 feet further in said he could see pure terror on my face, I did one paddling stroke and the shark realising I spotted him took off like lighting fast under neath me and did a big arc around the back behind me and came up spearing me off my surfboard knocking me into the water, it was so quick I didn’t even have time to yell to Mick “SHARK”.

At this point I was wishing I had a Knife, or anything.

Mick said all he could see was a frenzy of water and fins going everywhere and a big grey shape in the water as the shark thrashed around wildly, I pushed, punched and kicked it away from me.

I managed to get back on my board and kept paddling.

I didn’t take my eyes off him as I watched him go down in front of me and do another huge arc behind me at incredible speed.

I was paddling hard and I screamed at Mick and everyone to paddle and get out.

I looked behind me and he was coming straight for me like a missile.

He got to about 2 meters away breached the water and came and lifted himself right out of the water, I thought I’ve got to do something quick.

I put myself in the water and used my Surfboard as a shield, he hit me hard and dragged me along spun me around and I some how ended up on its back, still clinging to my board Mick and the others could see me out of the water on my surfboard on his back.

He went back down again as I hit the water and kept paddling, my arms and neck felt like concrete.

Mick and others who could see said the Shark was almost 3 times wider then me.

He went down again in front of me turned and did another big arc behind me as I paddled hard This time he came beside me on his side looking at me, I sat up and looked into his eye trying to stay away from him, as he went down again in front of me and preceded to do another arc behind me.

At this point I gave up I didn’t have the strength to fend him off again, he was going to eat me this time for sure, and resigned myself to the fact that I was dead.

Immediately something dramatic happened, all the panic and fear left my body and I was filled with peace and euphoria.

I had no fear what so ever and calmly but determinedly paddled as he came 2 feet behind me, I kept paddling and looking at him calmly waiting for him to eat me in half, he followed me like that for at least 30 meters, then I watched him veer off.

I almost couldn’t believe he let me go, he had me for all money but didn’t know it.

I feel as he followed me he was weighing up whether to attack again, but could smell no fear, and I was not acting wounded and he may hurt himself, shortly I managed to get onto a small wave all the way into shore.

All the people on the beach were standing up watching, my mates came running over to me and couldn’t believe it when I stood they thought for sure that I would be missing my legs as they saw him take me down twice.

They said they could not believe how calmly I was paddling with that monster behind me.

I have always been in awe and fear of Sharks and now have a new found respect for their size power and speed first hand, They are the kings of the ocean, I don’t like the killing of sharks or the fish that feed them.